When Truth Is Known Rewrite
by andrewjameswilliams
Summary: Rewrite of When Truth Is Known. What might have happened if Virgil hadn't gotten Mirage to generate the Static illusion for him at the end of Brother and Sister Act.
1. Chapter One

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When Truth Is Known

Author's Note: This story is a rewrite of the original When Truth Is Known, hopefully it's a bit better. I've added a bit more dialogue here and there hopefully to make things a bit better. But the biggest change is that I've broken the story up into chapters. I will keep the original version of When Truth Is Known posted so if anyone wants to compare them please feel free to do so.

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Chapter One

Static Shock a.k.a Virgil Hawkins hovered on his disc and watched Boom rage helplessly in the glass and steel sphere that he'd just imprisoned him in. The other bang baby had already tried to get out with one of his sonic blasts but he hadn't been able to. The blast of coherent sound hadn't been able to get out instead the blast had been dispersed inside the sphere causing Boom to cry out in pain as it had assaulted his ears. That one refracted blast had been enough to convince Boom that getting out of the sphere was impossible that way.

As he watched Boom rage at his own helplessness Static couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for him, it wasn't really his fault that he was now the way he was it was the big bang that was responsible for that. In addition to transforming him into a meta-human it had affected his mind – something Static saw all to often in other bang babies. It did make him realise that he was lucky in a number of ways after the big bang. Not only had he retained his Human form and good looks but he also stayed himself, too many other bang babies hadn't mutating into hideous monsters or into animals.

After a moment he turned away from Boom and looked around for someone who he knew would be nearby. Sure enough he found her after a couple of moments sheltering near the tunnel to the players locker room. A small unremarkable looking girl who was now known as Mirage. She was Boom's little sister and like both her brother and Static was a bang baby. Mirage had the ability to create incredibly realistic three dimensional illusions of anything she wanted. However unlike her brother she'd stayed sane and only gone along with Boom out of a sense of family obligation, but now she'd finally listened to what he'd told her at the hospital and helped him deal with Boom. She would still have to be punished for her part in Booms crime spree but she already knew that and Static would make certain that the police knew that she'd helped him when they arrived to take Boom away.

After a moment he looked away from Mirage and looked around the arena in general. The bulk of the seats were empty. There was considerable damage here and there where either his or Booms blasts had gone astray and struck the sides of the arena. A few spectators had stayed to watch the fight and now they were jubilant. However amongst the remaining spectators was his sister Sharon giving him a knowing look. Virgil sighed to himself, he knew he would have no chance at all of convincing her that he wasn't Static. She knew now and it would be better to admit the truth than have to deal with her sharp tounge. Ritchie was standing nearby and he gave Static/Virgil an apologetic look, he'd clearly tried to get Sharon out of here before she saw too much but obviously hadn't been able to.

At that moment police arrived and poured into the area floor. The police lieutenant leading them looked around the damage to the arena and emitted a faint whistle before noticing Boom trapped inside the sphere of metal and glass. _How did he get in there,_ the lieutenant thought recognising Boom as the new bang baby criminal around here who'd been using his power to generate powerful and destructive sonic blasts to commit robberies, and then he noticed Static hovering on his disc nearby, _never mind_, he thought, _should have guessed Static would eventually kick this guys butt._ Police all over Dakota City respected and liked Static especially since he would show up to help whenever they had trouble with Dakota's meta-human population at least those that did nothing but cause trouble. And it was a lot easier for one meta-human to defeat another meta-human than it was for a normal human. Many bang babies – at least those who used there abilities to commit crimes and other general malicious mischief – were very powerful and very dangerous beings, for a normal human defeating one could be difficult boarding on the impossible.

The police fanned out across the arena and began ushering the few spectators present out to safety while the lieutenant walked up to speak to Static about what had occurred here.

Sharon glanced back at Static before she was led away by the police. She knew full well now that Static Shock and her brother Virgil Hawkins were one and the same. And she would make him finally admit that fact to her when she saw him later – saw him as Virgil anyway. She knew he would probably try to deny that he was anything but a normal fifteen year old but she wouldn't let him deter her this time. The question was how to go about getting that information out of him.

Sharon was still trying to figure it out about fifteen minutes later as she stood outside the stadium waiting for Virgil to appear. Finally he did appear once more dressed in his street clothes. Looking at him Sharon wondered where he had put his costume. In his backpack most likely though how the disc would fit in there she had no idea. But that was just another mystery that he would have to answer along with explaining to her how he'd ended up a meta-human in the first place since he shouldn't have been anywhere near the docks when the big bang occurred.

Virgil approached with his normal casual walk showing absolutely no sign that anything could be bothering him, certainly nothing as major as having his secret identity found out.

"Well its about time," she said to him as he stopped in front of her. "You have some explaining to do little brother." She half expected to get a protest of innocence from him and was shocked when none came. Virgil just gave her a look and despite herself Sharon was staggered by the resolution she saw there.

Virgil leaned in closer and spoke quietly to Sharon so quietly that no one but Sharon and Ritchie standing right next to her could hear.

"Not here Sharon," he said softly. A look of shock crossed Ritchie's face as he realised what Virgil intended to do he was going to tell Sharon the truth. "To many bloodhounds around here," Virgil added inclining his head in the direction of the reporters and their camera crews milling around reporting on the events inside the stadium and the battle between Static and Boom within the basketball arena.

"Very well then," Sharon agreed reluctantly. "We will talk at home." Virgil nodded his agreement and it was plain to see to both Sharon and Ritchie that Virgil did not want to have that conversation but had decided he had no choice in the matter. For a moment Sharon couldn't help but feel a little guilty about putting Virgil in this position but dismissed it quickly after all it was Virgil who'd chosen to be Static and to keep that secret from them and he would now have to deal with the consequences of them finding out.

Though she did wonder what dad would say when he found out that not only was his son a meta-human but was in fact Static Shock. It would be interesting since Robert Hawkins didn't like meta-humans that much – though he had mellowed a bit this last year and now conceded that not all of them were bad. They would have to tell him in fact she would insist on it.

Quietly they walked back to her car with the exception of Ritchie who left to catch a bus home, normally Sharon wouldn't have hesitated to give him a lift but today was different. But this time he knew it was different, the Virgil and Sharon needed to speak alone – he would get the story out of Virgil later – so he would take the bus home.


	2. Chapter Two

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Chapter Two

All was quiet in Sharon's car as she drove away from the stadium towards home. The radio was turned off and neither her nor Virgil felt like talking at the moment. Out of the corner of her eyes Sharon saw Virgil staring out the passenger side window apparently deep in thought. Sharon found his silence weird as it wasn't something she was used to getting from her kid brother or at least as she knew him as she'd seen tonight there was another side to him, a side she'd never seen nor ever even suspected that was there before.

Finally after nearly half an hour of driving she could stand Virgil's silence no longer, nor could she suppress her curiosity anymore.

"So how did it happen," she asked. Virgil gave her a curious gaze.

"How did what happen," he asked not sure what she was on about. No actually he did know he just wanted her to say it.

"You know what I mean Virgil. How did you end up a meta-human?"

"Oh that. The answer to that question is simple. I was exposed to the mutagenic gas released during the Big Bang just like all the others. Caught quiet a few lung fulls of the damned stuff in fact."

"How though Virgil. You shouldn't have been anywhere near the docks when that explosion occurred." She paused. "You weren't part of one of a gang were you?" Virgil looked uncomfortable. "You were weren't you?"

"Not really. I was trying to avoid being pulled into that world you know why." Sharon nodded knowing that Virgil was referring to there mothers death by rouge gang gunfire in the Dakota Riots even after nearly five years it was still a subject that was to painful to talk about much.

"I wasn't having much luck. Wade wanted me as part of his crew and Francis – Hotstreak as he is now – wanted to either kill me or beat me to a pulp why I sure as hell don't know. I was called by Wade to the docks that night – basically to make my mind up – and the rest is history."

"That's answers that question. But where did you get the idea to be Static?"

"Initially it was Ritchie's idea. I called him to one of the cities junk yards the same day as I discovered my abilities when I showed him what I could do – even back then when I didn't have the foggiest idea what I could and couldn't do altogether – he suggested that I could be a superhero. He was right we came up with the costume and that was that. I wasn't really sure of the whole thing until that evening when those crooks tried to rob that warehouse and I stopped them, without even breaking a sweat. I found I liked beating the bad guys and then when other meta-humans started turning up it was obvious that someone had to do something to stand up to the destructive ones like Hotstreak, Shiv, Ebon and the rest of that bunch. And since only one meta-human can really beat another…"

"You decided that you might as well do it," Sharon finished surprised despite herself that Virgil had voluntarily taken on the responsibility of keeping the people of Dakota City safe from those bang babies who had nothing better to do than use there frightening and amazing abilities to make trouble. In her experience getting Virgil to do practically anything voluntarily was almost impossible. Now it was apparent that that was not the case.

Before she could speak to ask Virgil another question she pulled into there street and they both received a surprise. Dad's car was parked outside he was back early from the conference he'd gone to.

"Dad's back," Vigil exclaimed in surprise. "Conference must have ended early. Good I only want to explain all this once. After all now that you know about me its only fair that dad learns the truth of what and who I am." _I just hope he takes it well,_ he thought, _finding out that I'm both a meta-human and Static Shock is going to be one hell of a shock._

As soon as Sharon pulled up outside there house Virgil undid his seat belt and climbed out of the car while Sharon turned the engine off before releasing her own seat belt. He was walking up the path to the door when she caught up with him. It was Sharon who opened the door with her key.

"Hi kids," Robert Hawkins said as he poked his head out of the living room to see them come through the door. They were surprised to see him that was obvious but something was wrong. He especially noticed it when they both joined him in the living room. And he felt a chill something had happened between them. Something big.

"Okay you two what is going on," he demanded as they walked into the living room. "You've not been fighting again have you?"

"No. But I made a discovery dad your going to want to sit down for this," Sharon said. Confusion and concern growing Robert did as his daughter said sitting down in his favourite armchair.

"Okay you pair talk. What is going on here. What have you found out Sharon." Sharon looked straight at Virgil challengingly.

"Will you tell him or should I," Sharon demanded of her brother. Virgil simply shrugged.

"What the hell is going on here," Robert demanded more insistent this time.

"Virgil's got a secret that he's not told us. A big one and I just found it out." It didn't escape Roberts notice that Virgil was getting increasingly nervous as Sharon spoke.

"Don't tell me Sharon," he said looking straight at his son. "You tell me Virgil. What have you been hiding and why?" Virgil sighed and met his father's gaze. _Here goes nothing,_ he thought.

"I'm a meta-human dad," he said. "To be exact I'm a bang baby."

Of all the things he had expected Virgil to say Robert had not expected that one. He stared at his son in complete and utter amazement and disbelief. _Virgil can't be a bang baby,_ he thought to himself, _he's so normal. We've never seen him display any kind of meta-human powers._

"A bang baby," he repeated in disbelief.

"And not just any bang baby," Virgil continued gaining confidence. "I'm Static Shock."

"What!" Robert exclaimed even more amazed by that revelation than the previous one. His son was Static Shock. No that couldn't be right. And yet when he thought about it Virgil and Static were the same height and had the same build. Could it be that they were the same person.

"I can't believe this," Robert said softly not wanting to admit the possibility even to himself that Virgil could well be Static. "This is a joke isn't it. Something the two of you have thought up together."

"It's not a joke dad," Virgil replied. "And I will prove it to you." Quickly he brought his hands close together and allowed the electricity to flow through surrounding both hands in a shimmering corona of purple-white light.

Roberts eyes widened when he saw the energy corona appear around his sons hands. But Virgil wasn't finished. Moving his hands closer together Virgil focused the energy flowing through them forming it into a glowing ball of lightning between his hands. Balancing the energy ball in his right hand Virgil stopped the power flowing through his left. He held the ball carefully knowing that if he dropped it the ball of energy would do a lot of damage to anything that it struck.

Roberts's eyes widened still further and his jaw dropped open as he saw Virgil make the energy ball and hold it without any effort at all. It was irrefutable proof that he was telling the truth. As impossible and as incredible as it seemed Virgil was telling the truth not _only_ was he a bang baby he _was_ Static Shock.

"Oh my god," Robert breathed. "You are Static." Virgil simply nodded in affirmation. His eyes still focused on the glowing ball of lightning that Virgil was holding Robert felt his shock and disbelief give way to anger and hurt. Why had Virgil not told him this before? Was he so irresponsible as to risk his life doing the superhero bit on the hot streets of Dakota City without telling his family who and what he was? What if he got himself killed in process and they would never know why and how he died.

Virgil drew the electricity back into himself even as he noticed the anger that abruptly came into his fathers face. He had half expected it but he was still worried and nervous when he saw it. Internally he snorted to himself he could face down powerful and dangerous meta-humans like Ebon and Hotstreak without even flinching and here he was frightened by his father's anger.

"Why did you never tell us this before Virgil? Why did you hide what you are from us?" Robert asked quietly determined not to shout.

"I wanted to," Virgil admitted. "When I first got my powers. But I didn't dare. Dad you've been negative about my kind right from day one. Bang babies are nothing but trouble and they all should be locked up. Isn't that what you said. How would you have felt, how would you have reacted if I had suddenly turned around and told you that I was one of the very things you hated. With your attitude you are surprised that I didn't tell you."

Robert winced sharply as Virgil's words struck home. It was true he had been negative about bang babies from the start. Only a handful had gone on destructive rampages but he hadn't seen that at the time. By tarring them all with the same brush he'd given Virgil no reason at all to trust him with his secret.

"You should have told me Virgil," he said.

"And be classed as a monster. Or be treated as though I had some sickness or disease I don't think so. There is nothing wrong with me. To be safe I had a doctor do a couple of tests on me. I didn't tell him what for though. He gave me a clean bill of health."

"I wouldn't have…" Robert started to object angrily at the implication that he would treat his own son like that.

"Considering your views on bang babies dad I had no way of know that. So I decided that the best course of action was not to tell you. I wouldn't have told you now but Sharon," Virgil looked at his sister, "has put me in a position that has left me no choice. She's figured out to much, seen to much for me to convince her that she was wrong."

"You're damned right there baby brother," Sharon replied smugly though inwardly she was wincing at hearing the angry exchange between Virgil and there father. She could understand why Virgil would think it better to keep the fact that he was a bang baby from dad considering how dad felt about bang babies in general. Hell if she was in his position she probably would have done the same.

Robert for his part felt his ire fading away like Sharon he fully understood Virgil's reluctance to speak about the fact that he was a bang baby especially considering how he'd always viewed them though he had started to come around to the fact that not all of them were bad. Ironically it was Virgil's own actions as Static that was part of the reason why his beliefs had started to change.

"We've all made mistakes. You should have trusted me son. And I should have been more open minded about bang babies." Virgil blinked in surprise. Dad was actually admitting that he was wrong about something. A rare event in his experience normally dad had the habit of being right about just about everything. He missed his fathers next words.

"Sorry dad I didn't catch that can you repeat please."

"I asked does anyone else know that you're Static," Robert repeated.

"Only Ritchie," Virgil replied. Robert had to smile at that. He should have expected it Virgil and Ritchie were so close that they were almost brothers.

"Why am I not surprised," Robert said. Virgil laughed. _He sounds so much like his mother when he laughs,_ Robert thought not for the first time. _I wonder what Jean would have made of all of this. Probably wouldn't have minded at all. Probably been proud as hell of him for doing what he does. Using his power to help others. Wait what was that her co-workers said she called Virgil that last night 'her superhero' did she somehow know who and what Virgil would become. Guess no one will ever know the answer to that one._

Robert's stomach grumbled at that moment and he flushed in embarrassment at the reminder that he'd not eaten since this morning. Virgil and Sharon both chuckled as they heard.

"Are you pair hungry," he asked and got affirmative nods. "Good who fancies a pizza?" He knew full well that they would both want one.

"Oh yeah," Virgil said.

"Yes," Sharon added. Getting up from the chair Robert went to pick up his keys from where he'd put them on the side table.

"Then lets go and get one shall we?" _And do something normal tonight,_ he thought to himself, _something to settle us back down to normality after Virgil's **little** revelation. Though I'm going to have a private little chat with him afterwards._

"Sounds good," Virgil agreed.

"Yes dad it does," Sharon added.

"Then lets go."


	3. Chapter Three

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Chapter Three

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Sometime Later

Virgil lay back on his bed thinking about the events of today not only did Sharon now know his secret but his father did as well. And truth be told he hadn't taken it too badly. Certainly things could have gone worse, dad could have flown into a rage that he'd never been told and wouldn't have been but he hadn't. Oh he wasn't happy that he'd not been told – any parent probably would be if they learned their kid was a superhero and hadn't told them – but he seemed to understand why he hadn't been told. Now Virgil was considering what would happen now. It would be nice to have someone else to confide in besides Ritchie though he would have to be careful not to tell dad too many details of what he got up to otherwise he would worry, he'd worry anyway but he didn't want him to worry too much.

He'd already relayed most of what had happened to Ritchie via the shock vox and put his mind at ease as his friend had been getting worried about him. Now he was just lying quietly on his bed thinking about it all. He was dressed for sleep but he wanted to get everything straight in his head before he went to sleep.

He was startled when a soft knock came at his bedroom door.

"Are you awake Virgil," his fathers voice said from the other side.

"Yes. Come in," Virgil replied sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. The door opened and dad came in dressed for sleep as well. Sharon had already retired for the night but Robert wanted to speak a little with Virgil before retiring himself.

"I need to speak with you son," Robert said.

"About earlier," Virgil asked guessing what his father wanted to speak with him about. His father nodded affirmation. "More questions," he asked.

"Yes. I want to know how you got to be a bang baby. I promise I won't be mad but I want no I need to know. Were you in a gang?"

"No at least not properly," Virgil replied. "Wade was trying to get me to join his crew and F-Stop – Hotstreak as he is now – was breathing down my neck wanting to kill me or at least beat me to a pulp to boost his street credibility. Wade offered to protect me from him. Yet I was resisting joining his crew given what happened to mom."

"Go on," Robert prompted while feeling a familiar stab of pain in his heart at the mention of Jean and the gang related manner of her death. Her death had almost destroyed him only the fact that Virgil and Sharon needed him had kept him going for at the time he had felt so much pain and so much despair that he would have welcomed death if it had come for him.

"Wade called me to the docks the night of the big bang. There was going to be a big showdown between all the gangs in the city, they happen from time to time and determines the balance of power between different gangs. He called me there to make my mind up. He gave me a gun I threw it away. Then everything went out of control so quickly. Other gangs showed up, fighting started. Police helicopters arrived almost immediately and shone spotlights on the fighting and demanded over there loudspeakers that we surrender. Most of the gangs immediately started to run away. But one gang member drew his gun and shot at the police helicopters blowing out its search light. The police fired a stun grenade back in retaliation it hit the sealed barrels containing the metagas at extremely high pressure. It must have punctured the barrel which must have set off the others I don't know but immediately there was a massive explosion and purple gas was everywhere. I don't remember much after that all I can remember is being surrounded by the gas. coughing and…" Virgil's voice trailed off and he shivered at the memory.

"And what?" Robert prompted.

"And I remember pain," Virgil replied. "I didn't realise it at the time but the pain was me changing."

"It hurt then."

"Yes. I can't describe what that pain was like, its like nothing I can describe. I remember an overriding impulse to escape, I think I started to climb the perimeter fence. I don't remember anything after that. I don't know how I got home or anything. Next memory I have is waking up here. And my bed sheet sticking to me no matter what I did. And that wasn't the only weird thing that happened that morning. I went in the bathroom to have a wash and a shave. The light turned on before I could even touch the switch. And your razor it turned itself on as soon as I put my hand near it. I admit I almost panicked and came close to throwing the thing out the window. In the end I put it down and suddenly saw why all those things were happening."

"And why was that," Robert asked curious.

"I was emitting bursts of energy without even realising I was doing it. Even when I'm not actively using my powers I still generate a background electrostatic field. All people do its just mines quiet a bit stronger. . For example I can make a bulb light up just by touching it or turn lights on just by waving my hand over the switch. At that point in time in my own field had been fluctuating sending out random surges of power I'd only just been mutated by the gas and my system was still settling down from the change though it was a week before I could completely control my powers. That first week I was so terrified that you would notice what had happened to me. That I'd have one of those energy surges at the most inopportune time and you'd see it."

Robert couldn't help but feel a stab of shame and self-loathing as Virgil said that. Maybe he had been too quick to declare all bang babies evil and a menace to society. Maybe if he hadn't been so quick to judge them maybe Virgil would have trusted him enough to tell him what he had become.

"I'm sorry Virgil," he said softly reaching out and grasping Virgil's shoulder. "I shouldn't have been so quick to pass judgement on bang babies. Maybe then you would have told me before."

"I'm sorry too dad," Virgil replied suddenly feeling very emotional. He stood up. "I should have trusted you despite the circumstances. But I was so scared to. I was scared of so much at the time. You don't know how relieved I was when the doctor pronounced me normal. As normal as I ever will be anyway. He found nothing in his tests to indicate that I'm… well a freak."

"No. Don't ever consider yourself a freak Virgil," Robert stated firmly. "Just think of yourself as having been given a gift. You're a good person son many people if they had the powers that you have would abuse them. But you don't. You use your powers to help and to protect. And for that I am very proud of you. And if your mother was here now she would be proud as well." Virgil smiled slight at his fathers words even as Robert pulled him into a hug.

"Thanks dad," he said softly into his fathers dressing gown. He stayed like that for a couple of moments before pulling gently away.

"You should sleep now," Robert said. "Goodnight Virgil."

"Goodnight dad." Virgil moved back to his bed and climbed in. Robert for his part went to leave the room. On the threshold he paused.

"Oh and Virgil," he said.

"Yes dad," Virgil asked felling sleep beckoning to him.

"No more secrets. Deal?"

"Deal." Robert smiled at that and left the room but not without turning the lights off first.

As soon as his father left the room Virgil rolled over in his bed and his eyes drifted closed and within seconds he was fast asleep.

The End


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